


You Were Saying?

by fabulously_frenzied



Series: Not If I Can Help It [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien’s a total himbo in this universe and You Can’t Stop Me, Alya Césaire sugar, Episode: s01 Volpina, F/M, I have no idea what else to tag this, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, the kids are alright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29078799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabulously_frenzied/pseuds/fabulously_frenzied
Summary: A new student arrives to the class, and Alya...Well, Alyahadbeen looking forward to meeting her, up until the new girl opened her mouth.Set after the events ofNot If I Can Help It.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Not If I Can Help It [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2133378
Comments: 27
Kudos: 327





	You Were Saying?

**Author's Note:**

> After finishing _Not If I Can Help It,_ I realized the events of Volpina would have gone much differently. I knew I wouldn't have the energy or motivation to rewrite the show in that universe, and I still don't, as entertaining as I think this universe is.
> 
>  _But_ I could manage this little scene. I hope it's as fun for you to read as it was for me to write.

When Alya caught wind that a new student would be joining her class, she immediately got excited. She’s always loved meeting new people, listening to all the stories they have to share and the unique perspective they bring with them. And it isn’t all that long ago that Alya herself was the new kid, and let it never be said that Alya Césaire doesn’t take care of her own. She knows what it’s like to be the stranger entering the home of an already close-knit group, so she’s made it her mission to ensure no new classmate of hers is going to arrive feeling isolated as long as she has anything to say about it.

The new student, for her part, seems to be getting along quite well with Alya’s classmates, and she hasn’t even gone up and introduced herself yet. It took years for Alya to work up that kind of confidence in a new environment, but here’s the new girl simply strolling into the school like she’s meant to be here. Still, even if the girl doesn’t seem to need the support Alya would offer her, she wants to welcome her anyway.

“Hey! I’m Alya. I’m in the same class as you, and I wanted to introduce myself,” she greets the girl, extending a hand.

“Hey, yourself! My name’s Lila. My mom’s the Italian ambassador and we just transferred to the French embassy,” Lila replies, and okay, whoa, that’s pretty cool. She takes Alya’s hand so limply it’s almost uncomfortable. “We just got settled a little while ago and I haven’t had much time to learn about the city or this community just yet, so I’m really glad to meet you! Actually… am I imagining things, or do you look familiar?”

No. Way. This girl _recognizes_ her? “I mean, I have this little project I started a few months ago called the Ladyblog, and—”

“Wait, the Ladyblog? No! You’re _that_ Alya? I never _dreamed_ I’d meet you! Wow, I’m such a huge fan of your work!” the girl gushes, and god, when was the last time Alya’s ego had been stroked like this?

“It’s not much right now, really, but I’m super happy to hear you like what I do! I’m just a citizen committed to reporting the facts about all things Ladybug,” she preens, and she swears there’s a sudden glint in the new girl’s eyes.

“Well…” There’s something distinctly _wrong_ about the way Lila drags out the word, but Alya can’t place what. “I mean, since you’re the Ladyblogger and all, I’m sure you’d be interested in a little _scoop_.”

“Oh yeah? Hit me.”

“If you insist! A week or so ago, when my mother and I arrived in France on the metro, the station we pulled into was attacked, and—get this—Ladybug was there!”

(Alya can’t remember hearing anything about a Ladybug sighting at a metro station, but it’s possible she’s missed something.)

“Yeah, there was a villain attacking the metro station! I was _so_ scared, but you know Ladybug, she totally saved the day!”

(Okay, Alya _definitely_ would remember an attack like that, even if she maybe hadn’t been at the fight herself, but she can’t recall a metro station akuma in the time frame Lila’s describing.)

“And when the fight was over, she came over to me, _me_ , to make sure I was okay. And, well, we started to chat for a bit, and it turns out we have a lot in common. We’re basically besties now!”

(Now _that_ just wasn’t possible. Everyone knows that if Ladybug has a “bestie,” it’s Chat Noir. Like, their partnership is unbeatable! They’re the ultimate friendship goals! And Alya knows full well that Ladybug’s biggest priority, aside from defeating Hawk Moth, is keeping Paris safe. She’s told Alya directly in numerous interviews that she could never get close with civilians in case Hawk Moth tried to use them as a way of threatening the heroes, and it wasn’t uncommon for akumatized people to take hostages.

Alya _also_ knows that Ladybug definitely would not have hung around after a fight to chat: one, because she never has; and two, because every time Alya’s tried to approach the heroes after a battle to get bonus content for the Ladyblog, both of them have mentioned some sort of “timer” running out and needing to leave.)

So there’s a lot wrong with this picture.

She struggles to come up with a reply to Lila, but luckily finds a diversion in the form of Marinette on a bench not far from them, furiously scribbling something in her sketchbook. “Oh! Girl, I have to introduce you to Marinette! I forgot to mention this earlier, but I’m class deputy, and Marinette is class president, so she’s an important person to know.” If Lila shows any displeasure at the lack of response to her tale of becoming Ladybug’s best friend, Alya turns away too quickly to notice it.

She strides over to the bench, and Marinette looks up as they approach. “Hi, Alya! Is this our new classmate?” she asks cheerfully.

“Yes! Marinette, this is Lila. Lila, again, this is Marinette, our class president,” she presents, turning to see the new girl quite obviously trying to get a good look at what Marinette’s working on.

“Hello! It’s _so_ nice to meet you, Marinette! Can I ask what you’re doodling in there?” And oh, Alya actually gets secondhand embarrassed at Lila saying “doodling.” She doesn’t know what Marinette is currently doing, but she _does_ know that Marinette takes great pride in her designs (as she should! Alya may not be a designer herself, but she knows Marinette has to be supremely talented and creative to come up with the designs she does).

The untrained eye would never catch the way Marinette ever-so-slightly bristles at the comment, and Lila seems to miss it. “Actually, I’m brainstorming for the upcoming student design contest _Gabriel_ is doing. This is the second contest I’ve entered for that brand, and I want to outdo my work from last time. Fortunately, I have a whole week before the deadline this time around, but that just means my work has to be that much better!” Marinette smiles in the way she always does when talking about something she’s passionate about, and Alya would love to bask in that glow, except she notices Lila’s eyes glinting the way they did before claiming to be Ladybug’s friend.

“Oh, _Gabriel_ ! You know, I don’t like to make a big deal about it, but I actually know Gabriel myself.” Alya holds back a scoff. Lila wouldn’t know this yet, of course, but _everybody_ in their class knows Gabriel. That first student design contest had been a mandatory project, and Adrien Agreste has been part of their class since the start of this year.

Marinette leans closer, seeming interested in where Lila’s going with this. “Oh?” she prompts simply.

“It’s true! In fact, I’m dating his son! If you’d like, I’m sure I could put in a good word for you,” Lila offers, and if she can’t see the burning behind Marinette’s eyes, she must be as observant as her stories are true. Alya starts to speak up, but Marinette beats her to it.

“While I appreciate the potential offer, Lila, I’d like to win the contest on my own merit, and I’m confident in my own ability and talent.” She grins, nothing like the soft smile from before. “Oh, hey, hot stuff!”

“Hi, princess!” _God_ , someone needs to put a bell on that kid; Alya never hears it when Adrien walks up from behind, he’s so quiet. He slings an arm around Marinette’s shoulder and presses a chaste kiss to her cheek. “Is this our new classmate?”

Lila, of course, wastes no time. “Yes I am! I’m Lila. It’s so nice to meet you, and I’m sure we’ll be _great_ friends.” The way she says “great friends” makes Alya think Lila has other ideas about Adrien. “What’s your name?”

_What._

Alya and Marinette exchange an incredulous glance, like, _is she serious?_ The new girl may have only been in Paris for a short time, but _surely_ she knows who she’s talking to, right?

“Adrien,” Adrien answers, happy to oblige.

“Adrien Agreste,” Marinette clarifies, leaning into his embrace.

Alya will savor the way Lila blanches at the name for _months_.

“Uh, w-well!” she starts, struggling to regain her composure. “Again, nice to meet you, and, um, I-I’ll see you all in class!” Lila all but runs away from the three. Where she’s going, Alya can’t guess, because as far as she knows, Lila doesn’t know the layout of the school yet.

Oh, well.

Adrien blinks. “Am I missing something?” he asks, and Marinette laughs sweetly, pressing a kiss of her own to his cheek.

“Nothing important,” she answers, and Alya thinks back to when she and Adrien were both new kids, and Marinette had been there to welcome them. She’s certain Marinette would have done the same to Lila, except for…

Well, except for what just happened.

  
Alya checks her phone. Class starts in a few minutes, and _boy_ , is it going to be interesting.

**Author's Note:**

> For a little more context to this universe: since revealing their identities and meeting in school, Marinette and Adrien have started dating, and Ladybug and Chat Noir have become friendship goals—they keep their romantic relationship separate from superheroing, and while there are some fans that still hope for the Ladynoir ship to sail, most of Paris acknowledges that the heroes are simply the good friends and partners they say they are. Basically, there's just a lot less nonsense.
> 
> I have already deleted one comment from the Lila anon. If they show up again, please don't engage with them; I will simply delete anything else they add, and I don't want your lovely feedback to get deleted with it!
> 
> come join me on [tumblr](https://fabulously-frenzied.tumblr.com/)!


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